Children of the Heart : Quarter Decade
by Ghost in the Machine
Summary: So just what happened in the two and a half years between the failed wedding and the beginning of 'Children of the Heart?


Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Takahashi-sama and whomever she sold the rights to. I'm not in this for the money, just writing this for fun.  
  
-----  
  
The time between the failed wedding and the start of the new school year was spent by Ukyo rebuilding "Ucchan's" into "Ukyo's As You Like It". That and searching for (and failing to find) Konatsu. She did hear a few things about the happenings at the Tendo Dojo though.  
  
Just a few days after the failed wedding, Ryoga had arrived and had a long talk with Akane. Not even Nabiki ever found out what the talk was about. But when last seen, Ryoga was walking in the general direction of the Unryu farm. A small amount of Akane's rage left with him.  
  
Two weeks after the wedding disaster, Happosai fought Ranma and lasted five minutes before falling to the "Two Elephant Recursion Loop", a chi vacuuming technique newly developed by Ranma. The future "Ukyo's As You Like It" took no damage, but several nearby structures had been totaled. Normal enough damage for Nerima, but there was an interesting post battle development.  
  
Since the stated terms of the duel were 'loser leaves town', Happosai left to plot his revenge. Unfortunately for him, he ran into Pantyhose Taro while his chi reserves were still low. That fight lasted seven hours and Ukyo found out about it when it made the nightly news over most of Japan. Pantyhose won by the expedient move of falling on Happosai in his cursed form just before passing out. Ukyo later discovered that Taro changed his name to Chon Wang and went to Hong Kong to make movies. Happosai, his spirits crushed by two consecutive losses, decided to head to Okinawa for a while. At least the tabloids indicated a wizened old man causing trouble on the beaches there.  
  
Before the new school year started up in April, Ukyo had reopened her rebuilt restaurant. Ukyo was no longer in the same class in school as Ranma and Akane, which was a relief for her. Not seeing Ranma all the time helped her in coming to terms with no longer being his fiancee. Ukyo heard that the administration tried to separate Akane and Ranma as well, but changed their minds after Ranma had 'politely' asked them to.  
  
Before summer break at the end of July, the tentative bonds of friendship had started to reform between Ukyo and Ranma. However, this time, Akane was included as well. Things had changed though. Ukyo no longer gave free okonomiyaki to Ranma and Ranma didn't go to 'Ukyo's' without Akane. The nicknames of Ucchan and Ranchan disappeared. This was no longer the friendship of two children, but the friendship of three young adults. It wasn't the only change either.  
  
Ranma and Akane had finally admitted that they liked one another. After their fathers had tried to set up another wedding and been severely pummeled for it, the two made it perfectly clear that any wedding (if it happened) would be on their own time table. Ranma agreed to eat anything Akane cooked on the condition that Akane taste it first. This and the requirements of label reading and pre-measuring enforced by Kasumi had improved Akane's cooking to the point where it was no longer toxic waste. Not that she hadn't been slowly getting better anyway.  
  
Ukyo knew that Ranma was still taking cooking lessons from Kasumi though. She thought about trying to teach Akane to cook, but decided it might do more harm than good. At least to any kitchen they happened to be in.  
  
Akane had convinced Ranma to seriously train her after the summer break ended. During their first session, Ranma had started his usual dodging. Instead of getting angry and hitting him, Akane had tried reason instead. (Akane later admitted to Ukyo that Nabiki had supplied most of her arguments, but Ranma never found out about that.) If Ranma was going to be a sensei, he would have to learn to spar with students of all ability levels. Proper sparring includes counters, throws, blocks and attacks as well as evasions. And he would have to train female students as well as male students.  
  
That last one was a sticking point for Ranma. Akane pointed out that most of his opinions about women came from Genma, who was a known idiot. It took a couple of weeks and another 'fiancee' showing up unannounced before Ranma granted her the point. Although he still dodged more than Akane liked, he was learning how to teach. As Ranma got better at teaching, Ukyo noted that Akane was becoming a calmer person. (Not to mention a better martial artist. Not up to Shampoo's level yet, but getting there.)  
  
In September, Ukyo joined Akane in taking Anything Goes lessons so that she could keep up with Akane. (Unarmed that is, Ukyo was still better with weapons.) By November, it developed into Akane teaching three beginner's kempo classes while Ranma, with help from Genma and Soun, taught a more advanced Anything Goes class. Ukyo realized that Ranma was by far the better fighter, but the old folks were still better instructors. (Besides, it was one of the few things Genma could do to get away from Nodoka that Nodoka approved of.)  
  
Immediately after the wedding attempt, Shampoo and Cologne had disappeared for a few months, leaving Mousse and Shampoo's father running the Cat Cafe. Whether the two were hatching some long range plot or just staying out of the line of fire, Ukyo wasn't sure. After the two women returned to Nerima, they were much more subtle about their attempts to land Ranma. Too bad Ranma didn't really understand subtle. He thought they were just leaving him alone. Ukyo knew better.  
  
Ukyo had also done herself a big favor by hiring Tendo Kasumi to run "Ukyo's As You Like It" while she was in school. Ukyo had to pay Kasumi more than she had ever paid Konatsu (who still hadn't been found) but discovered the eldest Tendo daughter a bit easier to work with than the former kunoichi had been. It also got Kasumi out of the house for a change, which seemed to lift her spirits.  
  
The younger Kunos were on the "not seen since the wedding" list. At first they had been recovering from the injuries sustained at the wedding. The rumor mill told Ukyo that after Kodachi got out of the hospital, she was either in psych treatment or chasing someone who decided he (or she, according to some people) didn't mind being caught. Nabiki's information on the subject was less than satisfying considering the price. Either way, Kodachi was no longer in Nerima. A fact which made Ukyo (among other people) rather happy.  
  
Information about Kodachi's brother was much more reliable. After recovering from injuries inflicted at the wedding, Kuno Tatewaki went to a detox center for treatment of severe withdrawal symptoms. Coming down from the stuff that Kodachi had been feeding him for years had almost killed him. Near what should have been end of his drying out stay, Kuno was transferred to a psychiatric facility after a nearly successful suicide attempt in his room. Ranma had shown Ukyo the letter he received from Kuno indicating that he had finally figured out whom the pig-tailed girl really was. The letter also asked for absolution. Ukyo had urged him to grant it, but Ranma had told her that he had already done so.  
  
With most of the major problem sources either missing or neutralized, life in Nerima had become much more peaceful. The first major change didn't hit until just before Christmas break.  
  
----  
  
Ukyo was in the dojo, waiting for Akane to finish her last beginner's class before Christmas. Kasumi had agreed to cover 'Ukyo's' for her so that she could get some late Christmas shopping done. A bell rang.  
  
Akane looked peeved for a moment, until she realized that it was the door bell and not the challenge bell again. "Could you get that for me Ukyo?"  
  
"Hai sensei!" In the dojo, in front of Akane's students, was the only place Ukyo ever called Akane 'sensei'. It was a martial arts thing. She even called that damn panda 'sensei' when it was appropriate.  
  
As she walked to the front of house, she wondered who it could be. 'Maybe a new student for the dojo,' she thought. She opened the door and said, "Tendo School of Martial Arts, may I help you?" Then she took a good look at the lean, handsome man she saw in front of her. About 180 centimeters, maybe 70 kilos. He had brown hair, much the same shade as her own and was wearing an all black gi. The man looked to be in his late twenties. Behind him, there was a fair sized metal keg chained to a dolly. (The kind with wheels.) 'Looks like he's missed a few meals. I hope he not some sort of freeloader or salesman. It was hard enough getting Genma to be slightly useful. Why does this guy look familiar?' It was the missing glasses that threw her off. That and because she had met the man only a few times. But after a good ten seconds, she realized that Dr. Ono Tofu had returned to Nerima.  
  
"By the Kamis! Come in Tofu-sensei! I didn't recognize you without your glasses. Oh. Uh, Kasumi's not in right now, but I'll call and tell her you're here. Ah... Akane's in the dojo. Mr. Tendo is picking up Mr. and Mrs. Saotome from their place. They should all be here in a while and I don't know where every one else is," Ukyo babbled while ushering the physician into the Tendo home.  
  
"Well, I had the laser surgery done on my eyes," Tofu said with a smile and a laugh. But both the smile and the laugh faded quickly. He wrestled the dolly and its contents into the entryway before pulling off his shoes and entering the house proper.  
  
Ukyo got Tofu-sensei settled in the living room before running to the dojo to tell Akane the news. Akane was professional enough to bring the class she was teaching to a proper close before dismissing the students. As soon as she could though, she was in the living room and heartily greeting her guest.  
  
While Akane was doing that, Ukyo was on the phone to her restaurant. Ring... Ring... Ri-click. "Moshi Moshi, Ukyo's As You Like It, Kasumi speaking, may I help you?"  
  
"Kasumi, shut down the store and come home as soon as possible," Ukyo cheerfully ordered.  
  
"Oh my! Is something wrong?"  
  
"No, for once, something is very very right. Now shoo out all the customers, shut off the grill and get over here as fast as possible."  
  
"What about clean-"  
  
"JUST DO IT! Sorry, sorry. Just trust me and come home," Ukyo said before hanging up on any possible response from Kasumi.  
  
When Ukyo returned her attention to Akane and Tofu, Tofu was holding her by her shoulders at arm's length and making a few observations.  
  
"Well, I see you've let you hair grown out some. But then it looks nice that way now that you are a little taller. Not that short hair doesn't suit you too. And you've put on some muscle I see. Is Ranma finally training you?" the chiropractor asked.  
  
"How did you know that?" Akane asked.  
  
"Elementary my dear Akane. The muscles under my hands now are larger and better defined, plus I saw that the pattern of calluses on your hands have changed to something similar to what Ranma had before I left. I don't see any burn marks, so you aren't doing the Chestnut Fist yet."  
  
"Wow! You are good," Ukyo observed.  
  
Ukyo was in the kitchen, preparing tea when she heard Ranma enter the house.  
  
"Tofu-sensei? Is that you?" Ranma cried out before the sounds of a bear hug were heard. "Man, am I glad to see you!"  
  
"You don't appear injured Ranma."  
  
"As a friend... not as a doctor."  
  
"Oh? Oh! Thank you very much Ranma."  
  
"So where the hell have you been?"  
  
Ukyo bore a tray full of tea to the living room. While she handed Tofu-sensei his tea, she could see a very pensive look upon Tofu's face.  
  
"I would rather wait until Kasumi is here before I start explaining things. This concerns her. Also, I believe your father might wish to hear this. If Mousse is still around, he should be here as well."  
  
"Well, Mousse is busy. Right now he and Shampoo's dad are holding down the C-C-Cat Cafe," Ranma forced out.  
  
"Cologne and Shampoo aren't expected back till New Year's," Akane continued.  
  
"Really?" inquired Tofu.  
  
Ukyo answered, "While I may have dropped out of the Great Ranma Fiancee Race, Shampoo is still running." 'Even though Akane has already won,' she continued to herself. Out loud she finished with, "So the three of us try to keep track of her and Cologne."  
  
"I figured they would have given up by now," Tofu stated, slightly puzzled.  
  
"They're nuts," Ranma declared flatly.  
  
"No, what I meant is that from what little I know of Amazon law, Shampoo could have given up the chase by now. If she wanted to anyway," Tofu explained.  
  
"You know, for some reason that doesn't surprise me at all," Ranma responded.  
  
Akane and Ukyo both responded with one word, "Cologne."  
  
"Yeah, right," Ranma grunted.  
  
"I would agree that Cologne is at least part of the reason that Shampoo still pursues Ranma."  
  
"Just part Tofu-sensei?" Akane asked.  
  
"Well, I'm sure there is some honest affection on Shampoo's part in there somewhere," the doctor replied.  
  
Before any further discussion was held on the subject, Kasumi arrived along with her father and the elder Saotomes. Genma introduced Nodoka to Doctor Tofu while the other new arrivals were greeting him as well. Kasumi's smile was the brightest it had been in Ukyo's recent memory. Her presence wasn't having its normal effect on the young doctor though, for which everyone was grateful, if a little surprised. It was decided that dinner would be first and that explanations could wait until later.  
  
Ukyo's offer to help in the kitchen turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Kasumi made a couple of uncharacteristic errors in the kitchen. Nothing that wasn't fixed immediately, but still rather odd for someone who was normally fazed by nothing short of all out war.  
  
Dinner conversation around the table was lively and varied with everyone trying to fill in Doctor Tofu on all that had happened since he had left. Tofu listened to some things intently, but indicated that he already knew about the events involving the Musk Dynasty and Jusendo. When questioned about that, Tofu's only response was "I may have been out of touch, but I did manage to keep up on major events."  
  
After dinner ended, Tofu waited for everyone to arrange themselves in the living room. The old folks were on the couch while the younger ones were sitting on the floor. Except Nabiki, who had come home near the end of dinner, said "Hello Tofu-sensei" and then disappeared up to her room without slowing.  
  
"Well everyone, I guess you are all wondering why I left, where I've been, what I've been doing and why I've come back now," Tofu began. "Well, I can talk about the first and the last, but, on my honor, I cannot say anything about the other two."  
  
"OK," Ranma put in. "I can understand that. So, Doc, why'd you leave?"  
  
"The main reason would have to be Kasumi," Tofu answered.  
  
"Oh my," the reason said from her place on the floor.  
  
'Kasumi?' thought Ukyo. 'What could Kasumi have done? Everybody likes Kasumi.' After craning her neck around to look at everyone else her internal voice said, 'Hmm. Nobody looks surprised except Kasumi and Mrs. Saotome... and maybe me.'  
  
The doctor continued, "Let me be brutally honest. When Kasumi was around, my medical abilities went out the window along with most of my mind. My patients were at risk just because of her presence. As I doctor, I could not allow that to continue."  
  
"I... I thought you were just being silly... I thought... I thought... I thought you were trying to entertain me... To... to make me happy," Kasumi said with a strained voice. She was near tears and a noticeable aura was developing around Soun.  
  
"I was out of mind in love with you. Literally. Remember how I 'accidentally' destroyed the recipe for the antidote when Shampoo used the Xi Fa Xiang Gao technique on Akane? I also remember all the times I inflicted harm upon others in your presence." This wasn't a mere confession. Ono Tofu was baring his soul for all to see.  
  
Trying to lighten the mood, Ranma remarked, "You look all right now Doc."  
  
"Yes, I am very much 'all right' in some very important ways."  
  
"Does this mean you no longer love my daughter?" inquired Soun, who appeared to be setting up for his demon head chi attack.  
  
"No!"  
  
"What!" interjected Kasumi.  
  
"You came back because you love my daughter?" asked Soun whose preparatory work fell apart.  
  
"No," Tofu replied.  
  
"What!" shouted everyone.  
  
"SHUT UP!" Tofu shouted back and paused to take a few needed calming breaths. It was the first time anyone had ever seen the young chiropractor shout at anyone. "Sorry. I'm very sorry. All of you. I was -able- to come back because I can now keep my control when I'm near Kasumi." Noting an incoming question, he continued, "I can't tell you why, please don't ask."  
  
Nabiki ran through her mental gears the fastest, but because she was eavesdropping from her room, Ukyo was the one who actually got to ask the question. "So why did you come back?"  
  
"Because I have with me what could be the last supply of Nannichuan on Earth."  
  
To say that this came as a surprise to those assembled in the Tendo home would be a vast understatement.  
  
Tofu would not explain how he managed to obtain the precious fluid. He merely stated that he was willing to cure anyone who wanted to be cured with it.  
  
-----  
  
Children of the Heart - The Cure side story goes here.  
  
-----  
  
Tofu left Nerima the day after Ryoga was cured. Kasumi let Ukyo read the note he had left behind. Despite the age difference, the two had become good friends. The note described Tofu's feelings for Kasumi and ended with his promise to return when he was able. Kasumi, finally aware of the extent of Tofu's devotion, decided she would wait as long as it took for the chiropractor.  
  
-----  
  
Ukyo found that an uncursed Ranma was a drastically different Ranma. Without the constant distractions, his grades rose to near respectability. His confidence soared, making his Moko Takabisha that much more powerful. Time had improved his social skills to the point where he didn't stick his foot in his mouth with every utterance. He was able to admit that he loved (not liked) Akane. Akane even admitted to loving (not liking) him. He even managed to make the Furinkan High Boys' uniform look good.  
  
-----  
  
Nabiki's graduation party was held at "Ukyo's As You Like It". Despite posting admission test scores that would have got her into one of the "Big Four" universities, Nabiki had another idea in mind. She announced that she was accepting the scholarship offer from Stanford in the States. She was using the party as a test bed before breaking the news to her father.  
  
"C'mon Nabs, you're kidding. You're turning down Tokyo University? You could get interviews anywhere in the country after going there," Ranma pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, for once Mr. What-good-is-school-to-a-martial-artist is right," Ukyo agreed. "Tokyo University is the most prestigious school in Japan."  
  
Nabiki waved her hand vaguely at the group of people who were listening at the moment. "Right, let's say I go to college there. And let's say, that instead of blowing off my classes like most of the student body, I actually get an education. And let's say I do graduate and go on those interviews. What will it get me? A dead end job as an office lady. Get real. There just aren't many good business opportunities for women in this country."  
  
"Things are getting better for women here," Akane offered.  
  
"Really sister?" Nabiki responded with obvious sarcasm in her voice. "What does it say about Japan when Viagara is approved for use in six weeks and it took over twenty years for 'the pill' to be approved for birth control? Add to that the fact that anyone who uses 'the pill' is automatically considered a slut. There are times I wish I'd have gotten a hold of that Nannichuan Tofu-sensei had."  
  
"You don't mean that," Ranma put in a split second before Akane could do so.  
  
Nabiki took a pull from her (spiked) soda before answering, "Let us just say that I didn't try to walk out the front door that night by accident."  
  
Ukyo thought about it for a moment. She had her restaurant. Any schooling she wanted could be worked in around that, even if she had to hire a second employee. 'Or if Konatsu ever comes back' a small part of her subconscious pointed out. Akane had the dojo and if she wanted to go to college, Ranma could cover teaching her classes. He was getting better at instructing, and he didn't really care about going to college. What -did- Nabiki have? Would Nabiki be better off as a guy? 'What am I thinking?', Ukyo chided herself silently.  
  
"Earth to Ukyo, come in please," Akane said.  
  
"Huh? Oh! Sorry, my mind was wandering." Ukyo looked around and noticed Nabiki was fiddling with the sound system Ukyo had installed during the rebuild. Some new pop song started playing rather loudly and a good chunk of the crowd started dancing.  
  
"Must have wandered pretty far. You were a zillion miles away."  
  
"Just thinking how Nabiki might have had a point."  
  
Akane sweat dropped before responding, "You've got to be kidding."  
  
"Well, it would have been an unconventional solution to the problem," Ukyo observed.  
  
The party continued after that, but Ukyo's mind kept straying back to the phrase "unconventional solution".  
  
-----  
  
Despite crying a flood of tears, Soun insisted that Nabiki obtain some martial arts training before going off to live so far away. Nabiki grudgingly agreed, thinking that at least she'd get some easy cracks on Ranma before leaving. The uncursing of Ranma had cost her a fair amount of money. The more confidant Ranma who had replaced the sap she was familiar with had cost her a bit of her normal amusement.  
  
Unfortunately, for Nabiki anyway, most of her training was turned over to Ukyo. It was felt (somewhat strongly) that neither Ranma or Akane would be taken seriously by Nabiki. Ukyo's status as a non household member would help in maintaining proper martial arts discipline.  
  
Nabiki was an indifferent student at best, but slowly Ukyo was making headway. But then senior year started for Ranma, Akane and Ukyo and Kuno returned to Nerima.  
  
Kuno challenged Ranma to a sparring match first thing upon his return. He wanted to know how much skill he had lost. Ranma deliberately took it easy on him. After the fight, he gave a detailed critique of the flaws in the kendoist's form. Kuno stood there and took it, thanked Ranma politely after it was over and headed to class without another word.  
  
Ranma had his own opinions on the fight that he shared with Ukyo and Akane. "Kuno's technique was way off, but his tactics were lots better," he told them. "If he knocks the rust off and gets his endurance back up, he might start getting good."  
  
Nabiki started taking her martial arts practice much more seriously after she heard about it.  
  
Kuno wound up in the same class as Ukyo and she noted the changes a year had made in him. The flowery speech and aloofness remained, but the roses were gone along with some of the 'samurai' behavior. Kuno's motivations had changed, but to what, she couldn't tell. The obsessiveness seemed to be gone.  
  
Kuno was no longer an enemy, but he certainly wasn't an ally either. The residents and allies of the Tendo Dojo were watched with a dispassionate eye. But they were watched. Kuno still practiced Kendo and regained his former leadership of the school Kendo Club. But the rumor mill had him taking lessons in other forms of martial arts too. The tension level in Ranma's life had taken its first jump up in a long while. Ukyo hoped it wasn't a harbinger of bad things to come.  
  
Spring turned into Summer with only a few incidents of note. By far the biggest was Happosai's return.  
  
Happosai came back for a rematch with Ranma. He'd heard that the Anything Goes Style was being taught at the Tendo Dojo. Ranma was even teaching -women- it was said. As founder of the school, HE decided who could be taught, not Soun or Genma or (especially) that upstart Ranma. With the advantages of a fresh bowl of Super Soba and a three meter tall demonic ally, his battle to show Ranma just who was boss began.  
  
Happosai let the demon attack first. He'd wanted a check of Ranma's skill level anyway. It would have to be skill too. This particular member of nether realm nastiness was immune to chi. Happosai had made sure of that when he summoned him up.  
  
Ranma figured that part out pretty quick after having two Moko Takabisha absorbed by the creature. Limited to physical skill, the fight lasted until Ranma drove a bokken through its black heart and pinned it to the wall of the Tendo compound. (Immune to chi, but vulnerable to wood. That's what you get when you skimp on your sacrifice.) Still, Happosai was pleased. Without regular top notch competition, Ranma's skills had suffered. Happosai took up the battle after his lackey had been dispatched.  
  
"Resorting to weapons boy? What kind of martial artist are you? You're not worthy of the Anything Goes School."  
  
"Sez you," Ranma retorted, wiping some of the blood (his own and the demon's) off his face with his forearm.  
  
The fight between Ranma and Happosai started normally enough. Ranma had trouble landing anything solid on the perverted dwarf. Happosai was confident of his eventual victory. Ranma tried the Double Elephant Recursion Loop to drain off Happosai's strength. Since most of his strength was currently due to Super Soba, Happosai easily broke free of the chi draining attack. Ranma then proceeded to get his ass kicked for a while.  
  
"You're fighting like a weak little girl," Happosai observed after blocking a punch with one finger. "In fact, you ought to be a girl!" he said hooking Ranma's wrist with his pipe and throwing him in the koi pond.  
  
It was when Ranma surfaced still male that Happosai made his big mistake. While Happosai lamented over losing Ranma's girl side, Ranma pulled himself out the pond, caught his breath and prepped the technique he'd spent developing since the last fight with Happosai. The latest revision of the Hiryu Shoten Ha was about to make its combat debut.  
  
The advantage of the Hiryu Shoten Ha is that it is a very powerful attack. The disadvantage is that if your opponent expects it, they can easily avoid it. The requirement for spiral movement can be avoided by almost anyone who pays attention. The requirement for hot and cold chi can be avoided by those who can maintain the proper discipline. Happosai fell into both these categories.  
  
Ranma was aware of the flaws and worked to develop a variation that didn't have them. Doing what even Cologne would have said was impossible, Ranma had learned to generate hot and cold chi at the same time. The "Atsui to Samui Arashi no Tenchi" was flexible. (Hot and Cold Storm of Heaven and Earth. If you can supply a better way to put that in Japanese, I'd be grateful.) It took advantage of whatever type of chi the target had. If the target didn't have chi, it still worked. Just not as well.  
  
Happosai knew the Hiryu Shoten Ha, having been on the receiving end more than once. Ranma had tried to lead him into it twice in the fight so far. Happosai knew that the battle was his and his own chi was ice cold, so when Ranma started to circle him again, he wasn't worried. In fact, he let off a cold laugh.  
  
While running circles around the amused Happosai, Ranma's arms started blurring at Amiguriken speeds in a circular version of the corkscrew punch that finishes his regular Hiryu Shoten Ha. Glowing balls of red and blue chi started forming at his fists, leaving streamers of hot and cold chi behind in their wakes. Happosai realized that something was up and prepared to leap out of the way, but the streamers of chi had started a whirlwind that prevented any escape.  
  
Ranma kept circling and pumped more hot chi into the miniature tornado to feed off Happosai's cold chi. One last influx of energy turned the vortex toward the koi pond. Ranma cut off his chi input and hugged dirt for all he was worth.  
  
The boulders surrounding the koi pond as well as the water and fish in it, followed the pint sized terror into the sky. Using the last of his chi reserves, Ranma disrupted the base of the column of twisted air before it added to the damage already done to the Tendo compound.  
  
Freed from its connection to the Earth, the rest of the tornado leapt skyward. Eventually the forces that powered it were consumed and Happosai fell back to Earth. Only his lifelong training and the Super Soba saved his life from the impact. But the water, fishes and boulders which fell on top of him after that were enough to convince him that he should stick to liberating his silky darlings. Ranma was just no fun anymore.  
  
Meanwhile, back at the dojo, the clean up began. The demon's corpse was sold at auction ('as is' and 'don't blame us if it comes back to life and eats you or disappears all by itself') to a group of paranormal investigators. The ten percent auctioneer's fee, when added to her ten percent agent's fee, was enough for Nabiki's walking around money for her stay at Stanford, if she managed it right. After paying for the repairs, there was still enough money to put the Tendo Dojo on really sound financial footing for the first time since... well... ever.  
  
Summer came and Nabiki headed off to Stanford a month before her classes were to begin. She wanted some time to get acclimated and work on her English. Autumn arrived and the classes being taught at the dojo expanded. Ukyo now had her own beginner's class in okonomiyaki style martial arts. Akane's classes were split up between Ranma, Soun and Genma so Akane could concentrate on studying for her college entrance exams.  
  
The most memorable event of Autumn was Mousse moving out of the Cat Cafe. Although it was clear he still loved Shampoo beyond both hope and reason, he no longer lived with his countrymen. When asked about the move by Ranma during one of their fights, he replied, "None of your damn business Saotome."  
  
Since that particular battle was in front of "Ukyo's As You Like It", after the fight, Ukyo was able to pry some information out of Mousse. The fact that Mousse was cured, while Shampoo was not had led to problems. But it was another problem that precipitated the move. Shampoo had been regularly clobbering Mousse since they were three. But the last time she'd tried to hit Mousse, he'd dodged. Repeatedly. It was more by reflex than intent, but it added to an already bad situation.  
  
Mousse's fights with Ranma had increased his skill, speed and stamina. Shampoo had been concentrating on methods other than combat in her campaign to win Ranma away from Akane. Shampoo and Cologne paid little attention to Mousse to begin with. They either missed his development or thought it unimportant. After all, Mousse was a mere male. But he was now a male who could avoid the best that Shampoo threw at him. If Mousse had actually tried to attack...  
  
The law about outsider males defeating females in order to marry them did not apply to members of the tribe. A tribal male who harmed a tribal female did so at the risk of his own life. After the incident, Cologne ordered him to leave the Cat Cafe, but did not expel him from the tribe. It was the worst of both worlds as far as Mousse was concerned. Mousse eventually wound up with a job at a Chinese restaurant in downtown Tokyo and did magic shows at children's birthday parties for extra spending money. Hiding his feelings about what had happened was by far his most successful trick.  
  
One of Shampoo's younger male cousins, Ji Lao, took Mousse's place at the Cat Cafe. "Gel" was a quiet, dark blue haired youth of fourteen who took to the Nerima scene quite well. Even if he did have an obvious crush on Ukyo. Shampoo on the other hand, was spending a lot of time training at Cologne's direction after Mousse's eviction. This worried Ranma, who feared that Shampoo would start attacking Akane again.  
  
Although Akane's speed had improved somewhat, she was nowhere near fast enough to attempt the Amiguriken. Mousse had the speed now, even if he hadn't actually pulled chestnuts out of a fire yet. Ukyo would be ready to try sometime in the next six months if her skills kept improving. Ranma's best Anything Goes student (other than Akane and Ukyo) might be ready for it in two or three years. "Maybe Akane just isn't fast. I need to come up with something that doesn't rely on speed," Ranma told himself.  
  
The winter solstice was marked by two arrivals. The first were wedding invitations from Ryoga and Akari. They planned to wed on Valentine's Day, if Ryoga's parents could be tracked down by then. The second was the return of Doctor Tofu.  
  
"I'm on a sort of vacation you could say," the doctor explained while passing out greetings to his friends. "My debt is still there, it's just... suspended for the moment."  
  
Soun, still emotional if not sobbing all the time, spoke for everyone, "Know that you are always welcome here son."  
  
Kasumi returned from her trip to the market at this point. (Ukyo was running her restaurant, so she had to hear about what happened later.) Fortunately there was nothing fragile in her bag when she dropped it on the floor. Tofu swept Kasumi into an embrace that went on and on. Kasumi was clutching back just as tightly. After a minute or two, Tofu let go and dropped to one knee. With a flourish he produced a small box from inside his gi.  
  
Nobody was really surprised by this, but they didn't want to miss the big announcement either.  
  
"Kasumi," Tofu began, "I promised that I would return, and I have. I still have obligations that mean I can't stay. But know that I love you and I always will. When my obligations are fulfilled and I'm once again free to follow my heart, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Tofu opened the box to reveal a diamond ring. Nabiki, if she had been present, would have appraised the diamond at over half a million yen.  
  
"Yes Ono Tofu, I will marry you," Kasumi responded with tears in her eyes. "I'll marry you now, a year from now, or at any time in this world or the next." Tofu guided the ring onto her trembling finger before standing and kissing his fiancee with several years of stored up passion.  
  
"Oh, if only your mother could have seen this," Soun said to no one in particular, tears running freely from his eyes.  
  
Ranma drew Akane close to him. Two years ago, doing so would have resulted in physical harm. Now, she just snuggled in beside him and leaned on his shoulder. "Bout time Doc," Ranma observed.  
  
Noting that the kiss didn't seem likely to end anytime soon, Akane said, "Let's give them some privacy. We can go out for dinner."  
  
Nodoka overheard the comment and replied, "I'm not sure if that would be proper."  
  
For once, Genma and Ranma both stood up to their wife/mother, and with support from Akane and Soun, gave Nodoka a look that said, "Screw proper." Akane didn't know it, but she was using the same chi technique that allowed her to mallet Ranma with impunity. Badly flustered for the first time in a long, long time, Nodoka submitted to being escorted from the premises by her husband.  
  
After dinner at "Ukyo's As You Like It", they returned to an empty house and a note in Kasumi's handwriting that simply stated "Don't wait up."  
  
By the time Tofu left for where ever it was he spent the rest of his time, it was clear that Kasumi was willing to leave with him. Her sister's 'domestic' skills would never equal her own, but she no longer feared that Akane would accidentally harm someone with her cooking. Finally, she could leave with a clear conscience. She stayed in Nerima mostly for two reasons. First, Tofu had asked her to do so. Second, she figured that Ranma would finally get around to proposing to Akane soon and she didn't want to miss that.  
  
A few weeks later, Ukyo, Akane and Ranma left for the wedding of Hibiki Ryoga and Unryu Akari. Once they got off the train, they looked around for the future bride and groom, who were supposed to be there to meet them.  
  
"Typical Ryoga. I bet he got lost on the way here," Ranma groused.  
  
Before Akane could say something along the lines of "Quit picking on Ryoga", a loud, deep voiced shout was heard above the din of the rail station.  
  
"SAOTOME RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!"  
  
"Aw man," Ranma muttered, dropping the bags he'd been carrying and getting ready for an attack.  
  
Ryoga had grown a good 15 centimeters since being cured and had broadened out a bit. He was huge. He looked like a American Rules football player. A nose tackle. If it hadn't been for the yellow and black bandana and the fangs, Ranma might have misidentified him.  
  
Ryoga stomped toward Ranma, Akane and Ukyo with a savage expression on his face. Bystanders quickly got out of the way. Ryoga's strength had become something of a local legend, and they didn't want to be around if someone had gotten him this upset. Ryoga approached to within about two meters before halting.  
  
"Made ya look," he said with a smile replacing the fierce scowl he had been wearing. He then started laughing a deep booming laugh before attempting to hug Ranma, Akane and Ukyo all at once.  
  
Akane reached up and smacked Ryoga on top of the head and said "Ryoga, stop picking on Ranma." It was a change of phrasing that Ranma liked.  
  
Ukyo was tempted to smack Ryoga with her combat spatula, but Akari came up quietly to the group and derailed her train of thought. 'Besides,' she later told herself, 'I don't think he'd have noticed.'  
  
"Thank you very much for coming," Akari told the group at large. "I'm so happy that Ryoga has such good friends."  
  
The five teenagers spent the walk to the Unryu farm catching up on events since 'Ranma's cure'. Ranma didn't know if Akane or Ukyo knew that Ryoga had been P-Chan, and preferred it that way.  
  
"So what have ya been up to?" Ranma asked, the phrase 'bacon breath' having perhaps been thought but not said out loud.  
  
"Not too much. I get up early and help with the farm. Akari's grandfather is getting too old to do much. But don't tell him I said so. Akari walks me to school. I've spent a lot of time wandering around lost, but Akari's been a big help in catching up. I should be able to graduate next year if I work at it."  
  
"Kuno missed a year," Akane put in. "He'll be graduating with the three of us."  
  
"Really? Well, I guess I don't feel so bad then. After school, Akari walks me home and we do the rest of the farm work. Weekends, Akari takes me down to the commercial railyard. I load and unload stuff."  
  
"That sounds pretty dull," Ukyo observed. Ranma grunted his agreement while Akane was more polite in doing so.  
  
"It is. But I get paid by the amount of stuff I load or unload. Strong as I am, I make more in two days than anyone else down there earns in a week. You all still teaching at the dojo?"  
  
"I am, and Ukyo's got a small class, but Akane's stopped teaching so she could concentrate on her college entrance exams. Me and Mr. Tendo took over her classes."  
  
"One last History review when I get home and I'll be ready," Akane told Ryoga. "At this point, I just want it over with."  
  
"I know what you mean," Akari put in. "Between preparations for the exams and for the wedding, I'm a nervous wreck. The nice thing is that helping Ryoga catch up also serves as a review for me."  
  
"You that nervous my future wife?" Ryoga asked with a grin.  
  
"I am indeed my future husband. But at least by tomorrow night, I'll have one less thing to worry about," Akari finished, snuggling in close to man she would marry the next day.  
  
Ukyo watched the two walking together, momentarily regretting having given up on Ranma. In order to get her mind off that particular sore point, she asked Ryoga, "So, anything else interesting happen?"  
  
"Yeah, we found out part of the reason I get lost so much."  
  
"Really?" asked Ranma, Akane and Ukyo, more or less at the same time.  
  
"Yeah, turns out I have this really weird form of dyslexia."  
  
"Figures it'd be weird if you had it," Ranma observed, oblivious to Ryoga's sudden narrow gaze at him.  
  
"What's dys... lexicon?" inquired Ukyo.  
  
"Dyslexia," Ryoga corrected. "In most cases, it involves confusing left and right when reading. Words just don't seem to be in the right order. It's supposed to be mostly... 'psycho logical'. Is that right dear?"  
  
"Yes, that's the word the doctor used," Akari responded.  
  
"Figures," Ranma muttered to himself.  
  
Undaunted by Ranma's comment (but determined to make it up to him in a 'sparring' session), Ryoga continued. "In my case, there is actually something wrong with the way my eyes see left and right. Someone points left. Sometimes, but not all the time, I see them point right, so I go right. It's why maps and compasses are pretty much useless for me."  
  
"Well, that explains a lot about the onsen race," Ukyo said.  
  
"Ugh. Don't remind me," Ryoga stated. "That's just one of many things I have to regret about my life from before I met Akari. Where was I? Oh yeah, I got sent to this vision specialist and he put me through this whole slew of tests. I'm most likely to have this kick in just after focusing on something close to me. When I focus on something close, my eyes work right so I can read clearly, but when I look up and around... Wham! It hits me and I get my directions reversed. If it happened every time, then I coulda learned to make adjustments for it. But it doesn't so I can't."  
  
"Bummer," Ranma noted.  
  
"Well, I've got an idea about something that might let me get from place to place without too many problems."  
  
"What?" asked Akane, who was trying to hide a smile. "Buy a Global Positioning Satellite feed?"  
  
Ryoga stopped walking, his jaw making communion with his chest. "How... How did you know?"  
  
"'Cause we figured it out when we got together to decide what to get for your wedding present," Ranma said nearly laughing at the 'Lost Boy'. "There's a GPS system in my pack. Along with some spare batteries and a charger." It was a special model, rugged and with an audio system than produced a tone as long as the user was getting closer to his target.  
  
"And your first year of service is on me," Ukyo finished.  
  
Ryoga stood there dumbfounded. You could have hit him with a two by four and he'd have never noticed. Actually you could do that to him most of the time and he'd never notice. It was a good ten seconds before he spoke again. "Why didn't you tell me sooner!" he demanded.  
  
"'Cause we wanted to see the look on your face," Ranma shot back. "Hope you haven't already got one."  
  
"No, we were still saving up for it."  
  
"Well, now you don't have to," Akane pointed out.  
  
"You really are good friends to Ryoga," Akari observed.  
  
'Better than I ever knew,' Ryoga thought to himself before continuing to the Unryu farm.  
  
-----  
  
Ryoga's parents had been able to make it. (Read: forcibly restrained to make sure they didn't wander off.) They had brought Checkers with them, and Ryoga's dog proceeded to 'make friends' with Akari's giant Sumo pig Katsu-nishiki. The Shinto wedding ceremony went off without a hitch.  
  
After the ceremony, Ranma turned to Akane and asked, "You think we should go with a Shinto ceremony next time? It seems to have worked pretty good for those two."  
  
"You mean you want there to be a next time?"  
  
Ranma thought about what he had just said and about Akane's response. He took about three seconds longer than he should have from the look on Akane's face before saying "Yeah."  
  
Akane thought for a moment before she said, "That has to be the least romantic proposal in the history of the world."  
  
"Well excuse me for not being Tofu-sensei. It's not like you're Kasumi or nothin'."  
  
"Exactly what is that supposed to mean!" Akane ground out, a reddish aura flickering to life around her. It was a measure of exactly how far their relationship had come. Screw-ups this bad on Ranma's part no longer resulted in an immediate beating.  
  
"It means I'm not some... romantic guy... with the perfect words for every occasion. I just want to get married. To you. Is that all right?"  
  
Akane's aura disappeared and she gave Ranma a moderately passionate kiss. "It's fine Ranma. Just for the record though, I accept your proposal."  
  
"Sheesh, I don't even have a ring on me."  
  
"Don't worry about it. So when do you want to have the wedding? I'm sure our fathers have everything ready for just such an occasion," Akane observed wryly.  
  
"I was thinking a couple weeks after graduation."  
  
"Next month? I don't think Nabiki could get back in time if we do that."  
  
"Akane, don't take this the wrong way, but I think Nabiki was the main reason that the first wedding was such a disaster. I -know- we weren't really ready to get married then, but did Nabiki have to send out all those invitations? If the two of us hadn't been so busy with all the people she invited, maybe things wouldn't have been so bad."  
  
Ranma didn't specifically mention the cask of Nannichuan that Happosai had drank, but Akane had caught the hint anyway. "That's being awfully harsh to my sister."  
  
"I not marrying her. I'm marrying you and I want our wedding to go through without worrying about Nabiki trying to turn a profit."  
  
Ukyo walked up to the couple and asked, "You guys coming to the reception?"  
  
"Yeah, we'll be there in a minute," Ranma answered. After Ukyo started walking away, Ranma returned his attention to Akane.  
  
"We'll talk more about this on the way home Ranma," Akane informed her fiance. The two started quickly walking in the direction that Ukyo had went, hoping to catch up with her. "One more thing," she began. "This is Ryoga and Akari's day. So I want you to keep quiet about our own wedding."  
  
Ranma merely nodded in assent, not trusting himself to say anything.  
  
-----  
  
After the reception, Ukyo, Ranma and Akane said their goodbyes to Ryoga and Akari Hibiki. As she watched Akari lead Ryoga toward what was now the Hibiki farm, Ukyo remembered something that Akari had said.  
  
"Well, we won't be going on our honeymoon until after graduation, but that doesn't really matter. We're already there in our hearts."  
  
It was something Ukyo dwelled on during the long train ride back to Nerima.  
  
-----  
  
"Ukyo's As You Like It" became ground zero for a good chunk of the Senior class of Furinkan High after the College Entrance Exams ended. Almost everyone except Ukyo and Ranma was strung tighter than a 100 kilo draw crossbow. Of course, those two didn't care about the outcome one way or the other, which is a real good way not to be worried.  
  
Ranma and Akane had let a few people in on their wedding plans. No one was sure where the leak occurred, but the restaurant was full of people talking about the upcoming wedding. Most people, including Kuno, greeted the news with "About time" or some well meant variant. Most people that is.  
  
When Mousse entered the packed diner and demanded to see Ranma, Ukyo told him forcefully, "Bust up my restaurant and I'll kick your ass back to China myself."  
  
"I've no time for games Kuonji. This is important."  
  
"You promise to behave?"  
  
"I promise not to start any fights, but reserve the right to defend myself."  
  
Ukyo thought it over for a moment. "Good enough. He's upstairs in my spare room with Akane and some of their friends. Second door on the right."  
  
Mousse leapt over the counter, and bounded up the stairs. The spare room had formerly belonged to Konatsu. With most of its prior contents consigned to the attic, it was still fairly packed with Akane, Sayuri, Yuka, Ranma, Hiroshi and Daisuke.  
  
Upon seeing the door open, Ranma hoped it would be Ukyo or Kasumi, preferably with some food. When it turned out to be Mousse, Ranma rose to his feet and bridled.  
  
"This is the wrong time and place to start a fight Mousse."  
  
"Peace Saotome. I'm bringing you a warning. Shampoo and Cologne have heard about the wedding."  
  
"Damn, I was afraid of that. Any idea what their plan is this time?"  
  
"Not really, but I've got a few guesses."  
  
"All right. War council tonight at the dojo. Is 10:30 good for you? After all, you'll be the guest of honor."  
  
"I'll be there," Mousse stated before leaving the room and the restaurant.  
  
"So much for this party," Akane mused before going downstairs to advise Ukyo and Kasumi of the bad news.  
  
-----  
  
Several of Ranma's Anything Goes class were conscripted as lookouts while the inner circle held their war council. They weren't expected to stop Cologne, or even Shampoo (although a couple were eager to try just that), but they might provide a warning if the two showed up.  
  
Ranma, Akane, Genma, Soun, Ukyo, Ryoga and Kuno made up the "Inner Circle". The last had more or less invited himself, having overheard Akane informing Ukyo about the meeting. Despite not really liking Kuno, Ranma tolerated his presence because it seemed his heart was in the right place. That and because over the course of the school year, he'd got his act together. Ryoga had come up alone, the GPS system having guided him to the Tendo Dojo from the train station. The dojo was one of the flagged locations the device kept stored in memory.  
  
Mousse showed up precisely at 10:30. Instead of his traditional garb of white robes and inch thick glasses, he arrived in a black outfit with oversized sleeves and a new pair of glasses.  
  
"Get your prescription changed?" asked Ukyo.  
  
"Yes, but that's neither here nor there," Mouse replied before giving what little information he had to the group at large.  
  
Gel was Mousse's connection to happenings at the Cat Cafe. It was through this route that Mousse had obtained his information. Although not sure of how they had learned of it, Cologne and Shampoo were aware of the upcoming marriage. Mousse figured that this would instigate some desperate last attempt on Cologne's part. The old women had invested too much time and too much 'face' to fail now. Coming home empty handed at this stage would severely harm Cologne's prestige.  
  
The time limit to retrieve her 'airen' long since passed, Shampoo was technically off the hook. The time limit was originally put in so that a Joketzu warrior would not be stuck in the 'male world' indefinitely. (In case the 'airen' had died or managed to escape beyond the warrior's ability to pursue.) Despite not being meant for a case where the location of the 'airen' was known and theoretically in reach, the law still applied. Shampoo could return to the tribe with little further punishment. (Having a Jusenkyo curse already.)  
  
"So, we looking at another kidnapping, or do you think Cologne'll try to kill Akane?" Ranma asked after Mousse had finished his briefing.  
  
"Ranma! Cologne wouldn't do that!" Akane said before adding in a much smaller voice, "Would she?"  
  
"You know the law about outsider women defeating Amazon warriors Tendo Akane. What do you think?" Mousse answered. Things got quiet after that.  
  
Kuno was the next to speak. "What if we... 'removed the bone of contention' as it were."  
  
"What? You mean kidnap Akane ourselves?" Ranma asked, trying to figure out what Kuno had meant.  
  
"Nothing so dramatic. Simply present them with a 'fait accompli' by wedding the beauteous Akane before they can prevent it. If you must, you could have some public celebration after the fact."  
  
"Mousse, you're the expert on Amazons. Would it work?" asked Soun.  
  
Mousse thought for a moment before answering. "Maybe. As Amazon laws override all other laws, Cologne might decide to not recognize the legality of the marriage. Now if Akane were pregnant with Ranma's child, the sanctity of motherhood could get the old woman to back off."  
  
Six people looked at Akane while Ranma stared at the floor really hard. After a few seconds, seven people with narrowed eyes stared at Mousse. Auras of various colors gave the dojo an eerie glow.  
  
"It was just a suggestion," Mousse offered feebly.  
  
Discussion went on until midnight. The net result was that Akane and Ranma would be married down at the Registry Office in the morning. Ranma's students were dismissed from lookout duty and Ryoga, Ukyo, Kuno, Soun and Genma would act as bodyguards until the wedding. Mousse couldn't risk being caught anywhere near Ranma. He'd broken enough tribal laws already.  
  
A wedding might not solve all their problems, but it was the best viable option.  
  
Ukyo spoke to Kuno before starting the first watch.  
  
"You know, you've changed a lot in the last year," she began.  
  
"Indeed I have. Without my sister's poisons running through my veins, I am much changed. I know not what I would have become had I not suffered so. But the Kuno Tatewaki that is I has been tempered by that suffering. Perhaps I will be a better man for it."  
  
"Well, I've got to say, you're taking Akane's wedding a lot better than I ever thought you would."  
  
"I have rid myself of my delusions Kuonji-san. Or at least, I have tried to do so. Akane loves me not. I see this clearly now. And the pig-tailed girl was but an illusion of my own creation. I know myself for a fool and regret the actions of my prior self."  
  
"Wasn't a lot of that stuff because of what your sister was feeding you?"  
  
"My interest in Akane and the pig-tailed girl was real. My obsession was merely amplified by my sister's potions. A large part of it was my own. My willful stupidity about the nature of Ranma's condition was my own as well."  
  
"I'm pretty sure Akane and Ranma have forgiven you for that. They aren't the type to hold grudges."  
  
"I have not yet forgiven myself. Nor do I forgive Tendo Nabiki. She assiduously fed my obsession with no regard to anyone other than herself. All the photographs I purchased from her are destroyed. It was a necessary cleansing of a blot on my soul and my honor."  
  
"From what I've heard, the money she got from you kept this place afloat," Ukyo replied with a sour look on her face.  
  
"Be that as it may, her actions were not honorable." Kuno looked at Ukyo's expression and added, "But in these modern times, honor is insufficient to keep oneself fed. Would that it were otherwise."  
  
Kuno then did something that Ukyo had never seen him do before. He smiled an honest smile. "It does explain why I kept having to take her to dinner when I was purchasing all those pictures though," he dead-panned.  
  
Ukyo chuckled and shook her head before leaping to the roof to start her guard shift. Unknown to anyone, an extra set of ears had heard almost everything that had happened.  
  
-----  
  
By sunrise, Akane had managed only three hours of sleep while held in Ranma's arms. Ranma slept even less than Akane, but felt ready to take on the world anyway. The barely noticeable sounds of Kasumi starting breakfast before sunrise didn't wake him, but the smell of miso soup did. Very carefully, Ranma woke Akane before waking those who had already done guard duty.  
  
As together as he had ever been since his wife's death, Tendo Soun laid out the plan of action. "Ukyo-san, we don't want Cologne to suspect that something is up. You should return to your restaurant and open as normal. Kasumi will come at the regular time to begin work."  
  
"Ranma, you and Akane will go to school as normal. After classes begin, I will call the school and have you pulled out of class. Since Shampoo avoids the school, once you arrive there, she will not likely expect you to leave early. Since both of you are eighteen now, you do not need my permission to marry. But you have it, along with my blessing."  
  
"Oh daddy," Akane choked out as she hugged her father fiercely.  
  
After everyone else had left, Genma spoke to Soun. "It's finally going to happen old friend. The houses will finally be joined."  
  
"Come Hell or cursed water," was all Soun replied.  
  
The plan, as such, went well. Ranma got drenched several times on the way to school, and several more on the way to the registry office. It was if the lesser kamis were taking one last potshot at him before turning him over to Akane. The only trouble at the registry office was who was going to take whose name? Was it going to be Saotome Ranma and Akane, or Tendo Ranma and Akane?  
  
Oddly enough, the topic had never come up before. Ranma was a first born son and Akane a third born daughter. One point for Saotome. Akane was bringing a lot more in the way of assets to the union. One point for Tendo. They both said they didn't mind changing (although for different reasons). One point for nobody. They also didn't really care. Another point for nobody. In the end, it was Tendo Ranma who slipped a slim gold band as a token of his marriage on the ring finger of Saotome Akane. Those two never could do anything the normal way. Not knowing what else to do after they finished with the Registrar, they went to "Ukyo's As You Like It" to inform Kasumi and then back to school after lunch.  
  
It took less than three hours for the excrement to hit the air circulation system. News of the wedding spread fast. Akane had been asked about the ring when she and Ranma returned to school after the wedding. Akane admitted that she and Ranma were now married. To say the school was buzzing after that would be an understatement. Many people thought the wedding happened so suddenly because Akane was pregnant. Ranma, seeing that it might be to his advantage in the inevitable conflict with Cologne, said nothing to deny that possibility. This, of course, fueled the rumor mill to new heights. Akane took it with stoic grace that she had not had a few months earlier.  
  
Ranma and Akane were returning home after school when they spotted Cologne approaching with Shampoo, Mousse and Gel. The Amazon matriarch was pogoing on her stick in front of the others. When she got to within three meters, Akane and Ranma shifted their stances into ones that were combat ready. Cologne acknowledged this by stopping her approach.  
  
"Son-in-law. What is this ridiculous story I have heard about you marrying Tendo Akane? Shampoo is your wife whether you choose to acknowledge that fact or not." Cologne's voice was mild, but there was a distinct air of menace in it none-the-less.  
  
"Listen Granny. -Saotome- Akane is my wife. Not Shampoo. Never Shampoo. I do not now, nor have I ever considered Shampoo my wife. I do not and never have considered myself subject to your stupid laws. That kind of crap may cut it in the backwoods of China, but it doesn't wash here." The anger in Ranma's voice was unmistakable.  
  
"You think you can withstand -three thousand years- of Amazon tradition and knowledge? I wanted to take you into the tribe of your own will boy. I wanted your strength and fighting skills intact. I wanted my great granddaughter to have the man of her choice. I will not be denied by some prideful, stubborn, arrogant MALE. You are OURS."  
  
Akane spoke for the first time. "He is mine! And I'm his! And neither one of us want anything to do with you!"  
  
Cologne screamed, "Begone Obstacle!" and blurred into motion. The tip of her staff in route to Akane's heart. She moved impossibly fast. Ranma moved faster, his grab halting the tip mere centimeters from Akane's chest. A contest of strength and will ensued.  
  
Something kicked over in Akane. Finally, she gained conscious control of an ability she had been using by reflex for nearly three years. Reaching into that place that wasn't a place, she pulled out a large wooden mallet saturated in chi. More chi held Cologne in its grip, preventing the older woman from moving for the time it took to finish the technique.  
  
"COLOGNE... NO... BAKA!" Akane roared. The mallet strike smashed the Amazon elder back with enough force to launch her a good 15 meters beyond where her countrymen stood dumbfounded.  
  
Gel went to check on Cologne, who had been separated from her staff for the first time since Ranma had done so. Shampoo approached Ranma and Akane with shock and anger clearly evident on her face. Mousse followed behind her, his expression carefully neutral. Shampoo's Japanese had improved over the last two years.  
  
"You should not have done that Akane. Now great-grandmother will kill you for certain."  
  
Ranma answered for her. "In three days. Noon. Where Ryoga learned the Bakusai Tenketsu."  
  
"As you say Air... Ranma. It will be a great tragedy." Shampoo turned and walked over to where Cologne's staff had fallen. After retrieving the staff, she went over to where Gel was assisting Cologne to her feet. As this happened, Mousse approached the newlyweds.  
  
"First off, 'Congratulations' for what it's worth. I just wish your marriage would have lasted longer than this."  
  
"Hey, I'm not dead yet," Akane pointed out.  
  
"Saotome Akane, that was a fluke. If not for your husband, you would be dead. Understand that. If you fight Cologne again, you will die. What I said about losing face before is more than doubled. Cologne -must- kill you now. Can't you see that?"  
  
"That ain't gonna happen," Ranma answered for his wife.  
  
"What can Akane possibly do against Cologne?"  
  
"It's not gonna be Akane. It's gonna be me." For once, Akane didn't demand to fight her own battles.  
  
"Do you think you can beat her? She has over a century of experience and she'll cheat."  
  
"So will I. It's called 'Anything Goes' for a reason."  
  
Mousse let that sink in for a moment before quietly saying "Good luck," and turning to follow Shampoo.  
  
Ranma and Akane observed the Chinese Amazons until they departed. Cologne was conscious, but woozy. She settled down after Shampoo returned her staff and spoke to her for a moment. It wasn't until Cologne shot a glance more venomous than a king snake at Akane and Ranma that she left, riding on Gel's shoulder like a mahout.  
  
-----  
  
Children of the Heart - Final battle goes here.  
  
-----  
  
It was a battered group that met up with Akane, Genma and Kuno. And it was one member short.  
  
"Where's Ryoga?" Akane asked fearfully.  
  
"What?" Ukyo said loudly. Her ears were still ringing from the fight and she couldn't hear much.  
  
Ranma responded to his wife's question. "He's still in the hospital. Shampoo broke both his legs. They're gonna hold him for observation for a couple days."  
  
"So what happened?" Genma asked while moving to join his wife.  
  
"Cologne is dead, and so is Happosai," Soun responded.  
  
"The Master? Dead? Are you sure?" the former part-time panda queried. The question of "What was he doing there?" being momentarily ignored.  
  
"He may have been a pervert, a lecher and an all around pain in the ass, but he went out like a real martial artist," Ranma said while drawing Akane into a warm embrace. The group walked to a nearby park as Ranma continued his story.  
  
"...So it got down to just me and the old ghoul. Cologne nailed me with a nerve lock and told me she was going to kill Akane and everyone else but me. Then the old goat jumped right in and saved us all."  
  
Soun interrupted saying "Son, there was more to it than that. I may have been woozy, but I saw you save Happosai before... whatever it was he did."  
  
"Yeah, I saved him, but he bought me the time I needed to do it and died anyway when he took out Cologne. That's... Akane, remember those two kids who thought Happosai was Santa?"  
  
Akane was surprised by the change in topic, but she remembered the incident in question. "Yes... but what does that have to do with anything?"  
  
"Maybe Happosai finally decided to do a good deed."  
  
Those that thought they knew him thought it unlikely. But they may have been wrong. Or not.  
  
-----  
  
Graduation was greeted with immense relief by the faculty of Furinkan High School. Even though the number of 'incidents' had been steadily dropping since Ranma's cure, they couldn't wait to see the young martial artist gone. Principal Kuno especially would enjoy not having Ranma interfere with whatever hare (or hair) brained rules he came up with.  
  
The student body was more mixed in their reactions. The senior class had put up with Ranma for three years. There were those who would miss the excitement and those who desperately wanted a return to 'normalcy'. The junior class had only limited experience with the cursed Ranma while they had been sophomores. They were more concerned with becoming next year's seniors than anything else. The current crop of sophomores had never met the cursed Ranma and thought that most of the stories their sempais had told about the martial artist and his friends were outrageous lies. To those students who would be first arriving at Furinkan High School in the new year, Ranma would be little more than a legend.  
  
There were those who knew better of course.  
  
The graduation ceremony went without incident until Principal Kuno took one last swipe at Ranma's pigtail with his ever present shears. The vice-principal took over the graduation ceremonies without a hiccup after Ranma booted the crazed educator into the sky.  
  
After the graduation, and the graduation parties and the hangovers from the graduation parties, Ranma and Akane finally went on their honeymoon. A week in Sapporo, catching the last of the good snow and a week at the Tendo Dojo with no one else there. (Soun was staying with Genma and Nodoka, Kasumi spent the week in Konatsu's old room above 'Ukyo's As You Like It'.) By the time the honeymoon was over, Akane was pregnant, although no one had a clue about it at the time.  
  
-----  
  
Two days after Ranma and Akane had got back from their skiing honeymoon, Ukyo was listening to the radio with half an ear during a lull in business when the door to the shop opened. It was Shampoo, just about the last person she expected to see. The Amazon was dressed in a stylish business suit, complete with briefcase. How she got the ensemble to work with close cropped purple hair, Ukyo wanted to know.  
  
"Irrasshaimase," Ukyo said out of reflex. To herself she asked, 'Did she get back from reporting Cologne's death already?' Ukyo knew that Shampoo had not been the prime mover in the battle between Ranma and Cologne. But she was still wary of her.  
  
"Hey spatula girl, how is business?" Shampoo asked in an airy tone.  
  
"Just fine Shampoo honey. Why ever do you ask?" Ukyo replied with a note of false politeness.  
  
Shampoo seated herself on a nearby chair before answering. "Because like mercenary girl would say, 'Have I got a deal for you.' The Cat Cafe is closing its doors for good. That should make you happy all by itself."  
  
Ukyo thought about it for a second. One less competitor wouldn't hurt her at all. But that still left the obvious question. "And the deal part of this would be?"  
  
"The Cat Cafe is bigger than this place. How would you like to expand? Bigger kitchen, bigger dining area, more storage space, more room upstairs."  
  
Remembering the crowds during Exam Week and after graduation, Ukyo knew she could have used a lot more room. There was more foot traffic there as well. Her own customers would certainly follow her the short distance over there and she would be more likely to pick up new business as well. Of course, more space meant higher overhead and some other costs... But still...  
  
"How much will this golden opportunity cost me?" Ukyo asked after a moment of contemplation. She was used to dealing with Nabiki and was surprised by Shampoo's response.  
  
"Not one yen."  
  
"'Get them reindeer off my roof.' I know what commercial space costs in this town."  
  
"Allow me to rephrase it a bit then. My father, cousin Gel and myself are returning to China. I've only come back to handle some final details."  
  
"I'm gonna miss Gel, he's a nice kid." Ukyo was aware of the young teen's crush on her. As he had been nowhere near as annoying as Tsubasa had been, she thought it cute.  
  
"He wishes you were an Amazon and himself an outsider. I've heard him say 'Kuonji-san would be a bride worth training for.'" The two women laughed for a moment before Shampoo got back to business.  
  
"The Cat Cafe... As Cologne's executor and primary heir, I now control many of her personal holdings, of which the Cat Cafe is one. I will sign a contract allowing you to purchase the building for what ever you raise on the sale of this place. You do own this space, do you not?"  
  
"For all practical purposes, yes." The real situation was somewhat complex, but Ukyo could do with the property what she pleased, including selling it.  
  
"I take it you are at least interested."  
  
It seemed like a heck of a deal, but then Ukyo's natural caution kicked in. "Yeah, but we'll need to do a few things first. One, we'll have to get both places appraised. You never know, this joint might be worth more than you think. And we'll have to work up something about what fixtures will be staying and how much they are worth. And then..."  
  
Shampoo interrupted her with, "O.K. You are interested then."  
  
"Duh," Ukyo intoned. "Just tell me one thing before I call Kasumi and have her cover for me while we work this out. Why me?"  
  
"Think of it as a 'going away' present."  
  
"You're the one who's going away sugar."  
  
"Allow this to be my way of making amends for any harm the Joketzu have done to you in the last few years."  
  
Ukyo thought over the various run-ins she had had with Cologne and Shampoo (and Mousse and Gel). There really wasn't that much to make amends for. "Sorry, I'm not buying that."  
  
A pensive, worried look crossed Shampoo's face. It didn't suit her. "It is also part of what I'm doing to make amends with Ranma," Shampoo admitted.  
  
"I don't need charity just so you can feel better about all the crud you, Mousse and Cologne pulled on Ranma. Although as far as I'm concerned, Mousse is off the hook. He saved my life when that trap nailed me."  
  
"Shall I forget about my offer then?" the Amazon asked, getting up from the seat she had taken earlier.  
  
Ukyo motioned for Shampoo to sit back down. "I never said that and I'm sorry I mentioned it in the first place. Let's just leave the reasons out of it shall we?"  
  
"Very well," Shampoo replied. The two women then got down to serious negotiations.  
  
-----  
  
It took over a month, but Ukyo eventually sold her shop to a young married couple who wanted the place to start, of all things, an import shop for foreign manga. Ukyo didn't think her space was well suited for such a thing, but since the couple didn't plan on living there, there might be enough room. Of course she'd been busy with a few other things besides preparing for the move to the former Cat Cafe.  
  
Ukyo had enrolled in a nearby technical college, but not as a full time student. She was taking two courses this trimester, Small Business Administration, and Introduction to Accounting. So far, she was doing well in both of them. She wasn't working toward a degree, but the courses were chosen with an eye toward Ukyo's own long term goals. Not that life wasn't pretty good. Her class of Okonomiyaki Style Martial Arts was up to nine students. She and Akane were the top students in Ranma's Anything Goes class.  
  
Ukyo knew that Akane had enrolled in Gakushuin University, a school close enough to Nerima to make the daily commute practical. Akane hadn't picked a major yet. She was spending the year taking care of core requirements like composition and foreign languages. She had almost unenrolled when she discovered that Kuno was a Literature/Finance double major at the same school.  
  
The transfer of "Ukyo's As You Like It" to the former location of the Cat Cafe had gone well enough. Ukyo wanted Ryoga to come up and do the heavy lifting, but the casts hadn't come off yet. Ryoga said he felt fine, but Akari insisted they follow doctor's orders and wait another three weeks. Still, she received enough help from her friends for the transition to go smoothly.  
  
Ryoga and Akari did show up for the grand reopening at the beginning of the May holidays though. Even Mousse dropped by for a bit. Being an outcast, he told Ukyo, he felt no need to return to China and had even begun the long and torturous process of applying for permanent resident status. When Akane announced her pregnancy during the private party after opening night, Ukyo wasn't surprised. Rumor mill (Kasumi) had Ranma and Akane going at it like weasels. To Ukyo, the weirdest thing was when Soun showed up at the opening night party with a date.  
  
Soun had settled down once the future of the dojo seemed assured. His daughters were all fully grown (and one of them married and pregnant, and another engaged). Soun felt that he had done all the he could for his late wife's memory. It was time that he lived for himself again. Ukyo had always figured that if anyone caught Akane's father, it would be Hinako-sensei. But the chi draining educator lost out to Kondo Hiromi, a widow who was the mother of one Soun's Intermediate Kempo students. Ukyo hoped it worked out for him. But then she liked Soun a lot more than she tolerated Genma.  
  
Another four months passed, with things settling down nicely for Ukyo. She'd aced the classes she'd taken and had signed up for Introduction to Finance and Introduction to Accounting II. The new location and the additional space made her restaurant more successful than she had been at her old place. She was even considering hiring a full time waitress to give the place a 'classier' feel. Although she and Kasumi were handling things just fine, thank you. In fact, things were going so well that she was just about ready to try for the next of her long term goals...  
  
END  
  
Children of the Heart - Quarter Decade 


End file.
